Who should return to the Wallabies fold?

 
The Crowd Roar Guru

By Lewis, 23 Oct 2012 The Crowd is a Roar Guru

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    Who should return to the Wallabies fold? + enlarge image

    Australia's Ben Tapuai is tackled by Daniel Carter (left) and Richie McCaw (right) of New Zealand - Image: AFP/Patrick Hamilton.

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    While Saturday night’s game against the All Blacks left me with a sour-taste in my mouth, knowing that Australia had blown what could have been one of our most famous victories, it was undoubtedly a fantastic performance given the circumstances.

    The Wallabies showed a strong sense of character, determination and loyalty that I don’t believe we have seen in 2012 bar the game against Argentina in Rosario. And it was down to the fact that the team selected gave 100 percent, knowing they would have to work hard to secure the Test spot for their own.

    Players like Nick Cummins, Ben Tapuia, Michael Hooper, Nick Phipps, Mike Harris, Sitaleki Timani and Kane Douglas have shown that they deserve to be in the Wallabies team after having started of the Test season in relative obscurity.

    It is down to the notion that these players want to be in the Wallabies team; it is a dream for them, and they are trying to stay in the team for as long as they possibly can.

    And in my opinion, this is what we need to build on for the Lions tour next year. Get rid of players who have started to believe their own publicity and see the gold jersey as guaranteed and not a privilige, e.g. Will Genia and Quade Cooper.

    Now don’t get me wrong, Genia and Quade can be fantastic on their day, but what we need in the team is consistent performance, and not just one man-of-the-match game per year.

    Notwithstanding that, I think that Genia and Cooper’s attitudes are poor and they are the ones making the Wallabies environment toxic, but I digress.

    The question I pose to you Roarers is, if you were a Wallabies selector, who would you have back in the team once everybody is fully fit?

    This would be my team for the Lions tour next year:

    1. Slipper
    2. Moore (Polata-Nau is a good defender but is poor at lineout throwing and bad ball-security)
    3. Alexander
    4. Horwill (captain)
    5. Timani
    6. Palu
    7. Hooper
    8. Pocock (note, this back-row is interchangeable with one another)
    9. Phipps
    10. O’Connor
    11. Ioane
    12. McCabe
    13. Tapuia
    14. Ashley-Cooper
    15. Beale
    16. Robinson
    17. Polata-Nau
    18. Douglas
    19. Gill
    20. Genia
    21. Leleaiifano
    22. Cummins

    Thoughts?

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